Sec of Interior closes Buffalo National River Thursday morning

MySaline reported Wednesday that Governor Asa Hutchinson requested for Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt to close the Buffalo River National Park. The request was grant and it now in closed as of Thursday morning.

Effective immediately, @BuffaloNPS is closed to recreational use until further notice. This closure includes the Buffalo River, trails, open spaces, and campgrounds. This emergency closure is for the maintenance of public health and safety. More info: https://t.co/OCdCNTEGLnpic.twitter.com/8wHtifzOUk

Effective immediately, Buffalo National River will be closed to recreational use until further notice. This closure includes the Buffalo River, trails, open spaces, and campgrounds. This emergency closure is for the maintenance of public health and safety and is in direct response to guidance from state and federal health officials.The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, communities, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and will lift the closure as soon as possible.

“It breaks my heart to have to close this incredible public park,” stated Buffalo National River superintendent Mark Foust. “It is, however, the right thing to do to protect the people that work here, live here, visit here, and love this place. We all have to do what we can to slow and prevent the spread of the virus in and around the park. We believe this will help.

Foust wet on to say he’s thankful to the people of the area Counties, who share the river with us and support visitors from all over the country and the world.

“I look forward to the time we can all welcome visitors back to the Buffalo, sharing the river and the experiences we all know to be good for our minds and bodies,” said Foust.

State highways and county roads that run through Buffalo National River will remain accessible to through or residential traffic. Roads that enter and terminate within the park, are closed to all but residential traffic. The park will notify update public through www.nps.gov/buff and through social media.

The NPS encourages people to visit our website www.nps.gov/buff and take advantage of the many digital tools available to explore Buffalo National River. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.